Tory’s Playlist: Dinner Party
As the crisp fall nights descend and the holidays hover, we like to invite friends over for a night of cheer and bonhomie. A night to act like the grown-ups we are and break out all the good stuff: our best recipes, our finest wines and some tunes eternal. You be Nick and I’ll be Nora. You say potato and I’ll say potato. And be sure to save room for dessert…
Listen now on Spotify.
Chef Daniel Boulud On: My Early Food Memories
Perhaps you’ve seen Daniel Boulud on television, on Charlie Rose or Top Chef. Or picked up his brand-new cookbook Daniel: My French Cuisine. Or eaten at one of his acclaimed restaurants around the world, from Miami to Beijing, including the three Michelin-starred Daniel in New York. Chances are you know his name and his talent for contemporary spins on French cuisine. But how much do you really know about the man himself? Here, Chef Daniel Boulud talks about his early influences growing up in Lyon, France — plus, learn all about his holiday dining traditions.
Spotlight On: David Maupin & Edible Schoolyard
Created by legendary chef Alice Waters, Edible Schoolyard works with public schools on “edible education” — building gardens and kitchen classrooms. Here, David Maupin, Board Member of its NYC outpost — and Founder of Lehmann Maupin Gallery, which represents artists like Tracey Emin and Teresita Fernández — talks about the organization and his own family dinners.
Recipe: Hamasaku’s Tory Roll
From a star on the Walk of Fame to an Oscar on your mantelpiece, there are many signs of having “arrived” in Hollywood, but as far as any sushi devotee is concerned, there’s nothing quite like having a roll named after you at Hamasaku on Santa Monica Boulevard. The menu is filled with plates dedicated to the restaurant’s bold-faced patrons — the spicy tuna Charlize Theron, the Sarah Michelle Gellar (with jalapeño pearls) and Christina Applegate’s baked salmon nigiri. In celebration of our Food Issue this week, chef Yoya Takahashi created a special roll in honor of a certain sushi-loving designer who always visits when she’s in town…
Meet the Chef: L.A.’s Suzanne Goin
L.A. restaurateur Suzanne Goin, the mastermind behind a.o.c., Lucques, Tavern and The Hungry Cat (which she runs with her husband), is known for taking seasonal staples and presenting them in fresh, flavorful and unexpected ways. Think soft-shell crab with green romesco and cherry tomato, chickpea soup with pecorino and roasted peach with burrata. Here, the celebrated chef, wearing Tory’s Thea dress and whose new cookbook recently debuted, gives us the scoop on her hometown — from where to get the best martini to where she eats on her nights off.
Tory Entertains: A Cozy Afternoon Treat
Chilly weather calls for a little chocolate indulgence — and in New York, these two are culinary must-haves. There’s City Bakery’s hot chocolate, famous for its thick, melted bar texture and homemade marshmallow topping. Add a dense, gooey Levain Bakery chocolate chip cookie — hockey puck-sized and the subject of pilgrimages uptown — and that cozy craving will be more than satisfied.
For more of our favorite eats, see Tory’s New York City Guide.
Kinfolk Editors On: The Intimate Dinner Party
Nathan and Katie Williams started their cult food magazine, Kinfolk, from scratch — and have grown it into a burgeoning lifestyle empire. Here, the husband-and-wife team dish about their new cookbook and why they prefer small gatherings over large dinner parties, and give their expert tips on how to host your own too.
Pre-Fall 2014: Preview
“For Pre-Fall 2014, we turned to photographer Gertrud Arndt, one of the few female artists to come out of the Bauhaus movement. We were inspired by the effortlessness of her self-portraits as well as the era’s streamlined mood and bold graphics — clean shapes, strong tailoring, stripes, polka dots…. Accessories, meanwhile, include a nod to Gertrud herself: our version of the camera bag.” — Tory
Looking Back: Gourmet Magazine
Before Bon Appétit, before Saveur, before Food & Wine, there was Gourmet magazine. It’s the original foodie bible, the first to launch in the U.S. back in 1941. Month after month, the publication brought its readers mouthwatering recipes, beautiful imagery and now-iconic essays (such as David Foster Wallace’s Consider the Lobster) — but it also went beyond that, covering travel and all things, as the tagline went, “good living.” For seven decades, with contributors as wide-ranging as James Beard and Anita Loos, Gourmet inspired generations of devotees — and delivered a page-turning experience as dreamy as the cover here.
Pippa Lord On: Thanksgiving Pizza & Kitchen Style
Pippa Lord knows food. And style. Here, the former ELLE Photo Director and Founder of entertaining site Sous Style, wearing Tory’s Bonnie cardigan, shares her holiday entertaining musts and the tastes she can’t live without.
Meet the Restauranteurs: Phil Winser & Ben Towill
Up next on The Tory Blog: our annual Food Issue. We kick things off this week with a spotlight on two guys who know the restaurant scene as only true insiders would: Brits Phil Winser, left, and Ben Towill, the culinary brains behind New York eateries Fat Radish, The Leadbelly and the brand-new The East Pole, which hinge on seasonal, market-driven organic cooking. Here, they share some business savvy and the list of restaurants they admire.
Tennessee Thomas On: Amy Winehouse & Shop Talk
Musician and DJ Tennessee Thomas’ first introduction to The Deep End Club came via her father Pete Thomas, the drummer for Elvis Costello’s band. (If someone in the band called a Deep End Club meeting, everyone had to jump in the pool fully clothed.) This year, she adopted the name for her East Village boutique, which brings together art, music and design. Here, wearing Tory’s Sandra cardigan, she talks style, inspiration and what’s next.
What’s Your Sign? Sagittarius
What can you expect as we near the fire sign of Sagittarius? Astrology expert Susie Cox reveals all.
L.A. Entrepreneur: Everyday Surfboards’ Kelly Connolly
Kelly Connolly spends her days in the L.A. sun, hitting the beach and doing what she loves most — surfing and crafting boards. And have we mentioned that’s all in a day’s work for her? Here, wearing Tory’s Havana bikini, the founder behind Everyday Surfboards talks business and pleasure, and what happens when both collide. Plus, get her surfing and beach beauty tips, too.
Just Jared On: What I Love About L.A.
“Blockhead’s Shavery is my happy place in L.A. — it’s very off-the-grid and is my favorite dessert place in town! It serves a unique blend of shaved ice and ice cream called ‘snow cream.’ It’s so light and fluffy but deliciously sweet at the same time — even better than frozen yogurt. Just Jared approved! — Jared Eng, Just Jared Founder and Editor-in-Chef
Word of Mouth: Hello, Rodeo Drive
This week’s special L.A. Issue on the blog wouldn’t be complete without a look at our new three-story boutique — on one of L.A.’s most famous streets. “Rodeo Drive is such an iconic part of the city, and we are thrilled to be opening a flagship there,” says Tory. Created with architect and designer Daniel Romualdez, the interiors are inspired by Southern California’s sun-bleached allure as well as Tory’s own Southampton home — complete with framed photographs of her parents Buddy and Reva and antiques from her travels around the world. “We combined sophisticated and bohemian elements, from gold leaf wallpaper and coral sconces to oak-paneled rooms and Moroccan mirrors,” Tory says. “The décor is a mix of classic and eclectic — I think L.A. is like that, too.”
See our L.A. City Guide for our other favorite stops in the area.
Hailee Steinfeld On: What I Love About L.A.
“Los Angeles in November. Can’t beat the weather. Love it here.” — Hailee Steinfeld
Eva Amurri Martino On: What I Love About L.A.
Some people think L.A. is all about sun and swim season. For others, it’s about celebrity gazing. As part of our special L.A. Issue, we asked a quintet of locals for one image that best represents the city to them — and what they love about it. We start with actress Eva Amurri Martino, who, in searching for her portrait of West Coast living, looked to the… Far East.
“For me, L.A. is about the best sushi ever and, above all, simplicity! In everything: design, food, lifestyle. Love how this plating even exemplifies that — down to the blue design reminiscent of the ocean.” — Eva Amurri Martino
Tory’s Playlist: L.A. Getaway
City of Angels, city of musicians: Here, we place the spotlight squarely on L.A.’s music scene, with a little help from the creative music management team at The Artists Organization — Rishi Shah, Sam Berger and T.J. Petracca. They put together a set of playlists for us that features both homegrown bands and the songs the city’s inspired.
Meet the L.A. Screenwriter: The Heat’s Katie Dippold
Katie Dippold has a funny bone and she’s not afraid to use it. She’s done the comedy trifecta: standup, with the Upright Citizens Brigade; television, as a writer for Parks & Recreation, and this year, the big screen. Katie, here wearing Tory’s Brigitte blouse, wrote the screenplay for The Heat, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, and is teaming up with director Paul Feig again on a mother-daughter adventure comedy. So what does it take to hone one’s comedic chops? Keep reading and find out.
Expert Guide: Bettina Korek’s L.A. Art Scene
If you believe L.A. culture consists of a movie screening and seeing the Hollywood Sign up close, art entrepreneur Bettina Korek is here to convince you otherwise. As founder of ForYourArt, an art concierge of sorts detailing must-see openings and events — who’s also responsible for transforming city buses into public-art canvases for artists John Baldessari and Barbara Kruger, among other projects — Bettina is well plugged in to what’s hot and happening in the city’s contemporary art scene. She takes us through it all, from can’t-miss museums to where power brokers convene.
Meet the Maître D’: Sunset Tower’s Dimitri Dimitrov
Dimitri Dimitrov is an L.A. institution. As the maître d’ at Sunset Tower Hotel’s historic Tower Bar, he presides over a constant nerve center of Hollywood movers and shakers, not to mention other industry VIPs. We’re talking everyone from Penelope Cruz, George Clooney and Brian Grazer to David Bowie, Tom Ford and Larry Gagosian. We got a moment to chat, one-on-one, with the man.
Oprah’s Favorite Things 2013: The Molly Bucket Tote
“I gave a version of this raffia-and-leather bag to my producers after they finished up last year’s Favorite Things show because, after that, we all needed a vacation! Nothing says ‘hit the beach’ like the perfect island tote.” — Oprah
Perfectly packable and polished yet eclectic, Tory’s Molly Bucket Tote was chosen by Oprah as one of her favorite things to give for the holidays. See it in the December issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, on newsstands now.
Book of the Week: The Wes Anderson Collection
Wes Anderson’s quirky characters, rich visuals and immersive worlds have colored our cinematic experience for almost two decades. Four years in the making, The Wes Anderson Collection takes a deep dive into the auteur’s seven-film oeuvre, from his full-length debut, Bottle Rocket, to the more recent favorite, Moonrise Kingdom. Previously unpublished behind-the-scenes photos and sketches complement a book-long interview with Anderson himself — which reveals everything from his favorite Hitchcock movie (Rear Window) to what happened to all the movies he made as a kid (most were stolen out of his car in Austin, Texas).